An Analysis on Motivational Beliefs and Attitudes of Undergraduates Regarding Learning English

Öz

Attitudes and motivational beliefs are seen as an essential prerequisite for language learning so both of them should be taken into consideration through this process. The study was designed to investigate the undergraduates’ motivational beliefs and attitudes regarding learning English in terms of gender, grades and department variables. A total of 447 undergraduates participated in this research study. The measuring instruments used were ‘Attitudes towards English Scale’ that focused on the attitudes towards learning English and ‘Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire’ specifically on self-regulatory strategies and motivational beliefs. The data collected were computed and analyzed via Pearson correlation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA. The findings of the study were generalized in the way that follows: one of the findings of the study is that there is significant correlation between the undergraduates’ motivational strategies and the attitudes but not self regulation. There is not significant difference on motivational strategies and attitudes regarding learning English in terms of gender and grades. There is significant difference between undergraduates’ motivational strategies and the attitudes according to their faculties. Some useful implications are discussed based on the research findings in order to help provide possible further solutions towards the English language learning.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• English language learning, attitudes, motivational beliefs, undergraduates

An Analysis on Motivational Beliefs and Attitudes of Undergraduates Regarding Learning English

Öz

Tutum ve motivasyonel inançlar, dil öğreniminde temel koşullar olarak görülmektedir bu yüzden bu süreçte her ikisi de göz önünde bulundurulmalıdır. Bu çalışmada üniversite öğrencilerinin İngilizce öğrenmeye dair tutum ve motivasyonel inançları cinsiyet, sınıf ve bölüm değişkenleri bakımından ele alınmıştır. Çalışmaya toplam 447 öğrenci katılmıştır. Ölçme araçları olarak, İngilizce öğrenmeye karşı tutumlara odaklanan ‘İngilizce Tutum Ölçeği’ ile özdüzenleme stratejileri ve motivasyonel inançlar üzerine geliştirilen ‘Öğrenmeye İlişkin Motivasyonel Stratejiler Ölçeği’ kullanılmıştır. Toplanan veriler Pearson correlation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA ile hesaplanmış ve analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmaya ait bulgular şu şekilde genelleştirilmiştir: lisans öğrencilerinin motivasyonel stratejileri ve tutumları arasında anlamlı bir korelasyon bulunmaktadır. Ancak özdüzenleme stratejileri ile anlamlı bir korelasyon bulunmamıştır. Cinsiyete ve sınıflara göre İngilizce öğrenmeye ilişkin motivasyonel stratejiler ve tutumlar arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmamıştır. Fakültelere göre ise, lisans öğrencilerinin motivasyonel stratejileri ve tutumları arasında anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmuştur. Ayrıca, İngilizce öğrenmeye ilişkin ileri düzeyde muhtemel çözüm önerileri üretmek adına araştırma bulgularına dayalı olarak bazı faydalı çıkarımlar üzerinde tartışılmıştır

Anahtar Kelimeler

• İngilizce öğrenimi, tutumlar, motivasyonel inançlar, lisans öğrencileri

Kaynakça

1. study is not a significant indicator to identify attitude and motivational strategies regarding learning
2. English in this study. As to department variable, students’ motivational strategies and attitudes vary from one
3. department to another, ANOVA results revealed statistically significant differences between the
4. motivational strategies and attitudes of the students towards learning English. The undergraduates from
5. Engineering Faculty have higher cognitive strategies scores than Faculty of Education, Faculty of Law,
6. Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Faculty of Education
7. have more positive attitudes than Faculty of Arts&Sciences and Faculty of Economic&Administrative
8. Sciences. Faculty of Engineering students have higher self-regulation strategies score than Faculty of

9. Education, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences. Similar studies were conducted regarding
10. attitude towards learning English according to departments. (Sarıtaş & Arı, 2014, Gömleksiz, 2010,
11. Genç&Aksu, 2004) It is recommended that qualitative studies could be done to find out the factors affecting students’
12. attitudes and motivational strategies towards learning English. Another possible further research topic
13. could be to interview faculty members to find out about their attitudes towards English language. Further
14. studies can be conducted to analyze English language teaching curriculum and interview with the
15. instructors. Since there are significant differences between faculties, a new foreign language teaching
16. syllabus can be designed for each faculty to meet the learners’ needs and expectations because in many
17. universities students are taught in English in their departments so what is to be taught in the English
18. course should be relevant to their future occupations.
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